Biological monitoring of occupational exposure to electrophilic compound during rubber industry

Electrophilic compounds are widely used in industry. Rubber processing is the famous example of sites where workers are exposed to electrophilic compounds. Besides their immediate effect on different body systems, electrophilic compounds include most mutagenic and carcinogenic substances. The present study was carried out to elucidate the possibility of using non selective assays in the biological monitoring of occupational exposure to electrophilic compounds. The study included a total number of 40 workers exposed to chemicals during rubber industry (n=25 exposed) and comparison group (n=15). The biochemical tests carried out on each subject included: (1) Estimation of thioether levels in urine as a biological indices of electrophilic compounds. (2) Non selective assays as urinary RNase and alpha esterase, glutathione-S-transferase and aryl sulphatase. Their determination is recommended in the biological monitoring of workers exposed to such agents beside the medical surveillance of workers exposed to such chemicals. The study finding showed significant increase in the levels of thioether and all the non-selective assays among exposed workers rather than the comparison group.